Apparatus for dumping heavy containers

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for dumping containers of various types such as barrels, open top carts, rectangular boxes, and the like into a walled receiver. The apparatus is mountable on fixed supports or on a vehicle such as a conventional rear loading refuse truck. The apparatus has an &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;L&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; shaped container carrier. A quadrant is pivotally mounted on the fixed support or truck body at approximately the level of the top of the receiver wall. The container carrier is pivotally mounted at its upper end on the same axis as but separate from the quadrant. A first extensible cylinder means is connected between the quadrant and a lower portion of the vertical arm of the container carrier. A second cylinder means is connected between a lower part of the receiver and the quadrant. The pivotal connections of the cylinders to the quadrant are spaced radially from the quadrant pivot and circumferentially from each other. The vertical arm of the container carrier telescopes to accept containers of different heights and the container carrier has container latching means.

Wmlefl States Patent 91 Herpich et al.

[4s] May1,1973

[s41 APPARATUS FOR DUMPING HEAVY CONTAINERS [75] Inventors: William A. Herpich, Galion, Ohio;

George W. Palmer; Ray E. Bartholomew, both of Durant, Okla.

[73] Assignee: Peabody Galion Corporation,

Galion, Ohio [22] Filed: May 5, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 140,496

[52] US. Cl ..214/302, 214/130 R, 214/314 [51] Int. Cl. .3651 3/02 [58] Field of Search ..214/130 R, 302, 313, 214/314 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,083,849 4/1963 Mottin ..2l4/302 3,206,052 9/1965 Kennedy ..2l4/620 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,281,863 10/1968 Germany ..2l4/77 R Primary Exr1rr inerGeraId M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-Lawrence J. Oresky Attorney-Owen & Owen [5 7 ABSTRACT An apparatus for dumping containers of various types such as barrels, open top carts, rectangular boxes, and the like into a walled receiver. The apparatus is mountable on fixed supports or on a vehicle such as a conventional rear loading refuse truck. The apparatus has an L shaped container carrier. A quadrant is pivotally mounted on the fixed support or truck body at approximately the level of the top of the receiver wall. The container carrier is pivotally mounted at its 1 1 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PAIENTEDMY 1 1915 ,57 WILLIAM A.

INVENTORS HERPILH RAY E. BAR TjC L 0M2 m PATENTEUHAY 11073 SHEET 2 OF 4 m m S v 7 R T T gm A .W AH m? Awm Hz mn LUA way H E 7% Z a 33 fimu fl .52

2 L 4 6 i- M 1 PAIENTED 119B SHEET 3 0F INVENTORS WILLIAM A. HEHPIUH THZLMEJ/IZ RAY E.BAH .BY

53025.1: I IZ PALME PATENTED 1 1973 SHEET u 0F 4 INVENTORS: I/VIL/LIAM A. HEHPJEH,

EEURQE WPALMER,

-RAY E. BARTHDL UMEW.

ATT'YS.

APPARATUS FOR DUMPING HEAVY CONTAINERS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The container dumping apparatus of the invention is particularly designed to be mounted upon a fixed support frame adjacent the receiving hopper of a stationary refuse compactor or on the back wall of the hopper of a conventional rear loading refuse truck or in any similar location to which refuse containers are brought for emptying.

Various types of container dumping mechanisms have been developed in the past but most of them have included levers and cylinders acting off and through crank arms or the like wherein the mechanical advantage in the apparatus itself is less than desirable or wherein the mechanical advantage changes, as for example, in driving a crank.

In many prior art apparatuses for dumping refuse containers or the like the structures are such that they cannot readily be mounted at the rear of a conventional refuse truck because they protrude too far behind the body, they are not self-contained, they cannot handle containers of various types, and/or they cannot be tucked away, as it were, during the movement of the refuse truck from place to place.

It is therefore the principal object of the instant invention to provide an apparatus which will accept and dump containers of varying types and sizes and which possesses structure which provides mechanical advantage during a considerable part of movement of the containers being dumped.

It is yet another object of the instant invention to provide an apparatus for dumping refuse containers and the like which is especially adapted for mounting upon the rear wall of the hopper of a rear loading refuse truck, which is self-contained and which can be collapsed into position wherein it is tucked practically out of the way closely adjacent the hopper structure.

It is yet another object of the instant invention to provide an apparatus for dumping a refuse container or the like into the receiving hopper of a rear loading refuse truck which apparatus is mounted on therear wall of the hopper and has means which accommodate containers of varying sizes as well as varying elevations of the receiving hopper above the surface as results from the presence of heavy or light loads within the refuse truck itself.

These and other more specific objects and advantages of an apparatus embodying the invention will be better understood from the specification which follows and from the drawings described below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a simplified view on a small scale showing a rear loading refuse truck equipped with a container dumping apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, side view in elevation on an enlarged scale, illustrating a dumping apparatus embodying the invention and showing the apparatus both in its container loading position and in its container dumping position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary rear view in elevation showing the container dumping apparatus embodying the invention and taken substantially from the position indicated by the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 with a container shown in phantom;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view taken substantially from the position indicated by the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3; 1

FIG. 6 is a horizontal, sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to F IG. 2 but illustrating the loading and dumping of a refuse cart on an apparatus embodying the invention; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view, similar in part to FIGS. 2 and 7 but illustrating how an apparatus embodying the invention is collapsed upon itself during periods of travel of a rear loading refuse truck upon which it is mounted.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An apparatus embodying the invention is generally indicated by the reference number 10 and is illustrated in FIG. I as being mounted at the rear lower side of a loading tailgate 11 which is mounted on the rear of a body 12 of a refuse truck 13. The tailgate 11 closes the rear of the body 12 of refuse truck 13 and includes an open top, walled receiver 14 into which refuse is dumped from various types of containers such as a barrel 15 illustrated in position on the apparatus 10. After a suitable quantity of refuse has been dumped into the receiver 14, mechanism is energized to move a packer blade 16 through the receiver 14 to sweep refuse from the receiver 14 forwardly and into the interior of the body 12. In the particular tailgate 11 illustrated in the drawings, the packer blade 16 is guided by a guide track 17 and actuated by a hydraulic cylinder 18.

An apparatus embodying the invention, however, may also be utilized on and in connection with other types of rear loading refuse trucks or it may be permanently mounted, for example, on the outer side of the receiving hopper of a stationary refuse compactor or similar device.

The apparatus 10 embodying the invention comprises, among many other parts, a container carrier generally indicated by the reference number 19 which has a generally L shaped configuration formed by a pair of vertical telescoping arms 20 and a pair of horizontal container support arms 21. The container carrier 19, as a unit, is mounted on the tailgate 11 by two massive brackets 22 (see also FIGS. 3 and 4) which are integral with the vertical arms 20 and extend upwardly therefrom, being welded or otherwise rigidly secured to a heavy horizontal pivot rod 23. The pivot rod 23 is rotatably carried by four heavy ears 24 which are mounted as by welding or bolting or otherwise, on the outer side of a rear frame member 25 at the upper outer side of the rear wall of the receiver 14. The pivot rod 23 functions to pivotally mount the container carrier 19 so that it can swing from its lower container receiving position shown in solid lines in FIG. 2, upwardly (clockwise) to its container dumping position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2, and indicated by the reference number 19a.

A quadrant generally indicated by the reference number 26 (see FIG. 5) is illustrated as comprising four substantially triangular plates 27 and 28 which are welded to a tube 29, the tube 29 being rotatable on the pivot rod 23. The quadrant 26 is positioned between the two container carrier brackets 22.

A first extensible cylinder means generally indicated by the reference number 30 is connected at the lower end of its rod 31 to a clevis 32 that is in turn mounted on a cross member 33 of an open rectangular frame 34. Side members 35 of the frame 34 constitute the upper parts of the vertical arms 20 of the container carrier 19. The upper end of the cylinder means 30 is pivotally connected by a pivot pin 36 to the quadrant 26 at a point radially spaced from the pivotal axis of the quadrant 26 provided by the pivot rod 23. Extension of the cylinder means 30 swings the container carrier 19 rearwardly and upwardly (clockwise see FIG. 2 relative to the quadrant 26. I

A second extensible cylinder means generally indicated by the reference number 37 is pivotally connected by a pivot pin 38 in a clevis 39 welded or otherwise rigidly secured to a strong cross frame member 40 which is mounted at the lower, outer side of the rear wall of the receiver 14. The upper end of the second cylinder means 37 is connected by its rod 41 and a pivot pin 42 between the plates 28 of the quadrant 26, at a point on the quadrant 26 which is radially spaced from the quadrant pivot rod 23 and circumferentially spaced rearwardly from the pivot pin 36 for the upper end of the first cylinder means 30. Extension of the second cylinder means 37 thus swings the quadrant 26 upwardly and away from the receiver 14 (clockwise FIGS. 2 and 5).

The container carrier 19 comprises the frame 34 with its side members 35 which form upper portions of the vertical arms 20 and also rectangular slides 43 which form lower portions of the vertical arms 20 and are telescopingly engaged in the side members 35.

A telescoping cylinder means 44 (FIGS. 3 and 5) extends between an upper cross bar 45 of the frame 34 and a sleeve 46 which surrounds a heavy pivot pin 47 upon which the horizontal arms 21 of the container carrier 19 also are pivoted. The upper end of a piston rod 48 of the cylinder means 44 is connected by a clevis 49 to the upper cross bar 45 and the lower end of the cylinder means 44 is pivotally connected by a pin 50 to a transversely extending ear 51, the ear 51 being welded at the upper side of the sleeve 46.

A container hook 52 is welded on the upper end ofa rod 53, the rod being positioned in a fixed vertical sleeve 54. The sleeve 54, in turn, is welded or otherwise secured at its lower end to the upper cross bar 45 and the rod 53 has a stop 55 on its lower end to prevent the rod 53 and the container hook 52 from being pulled upwardly out of the mounting sleeve 54. As can best be seen in FIG. 5, the hook 52 is designed to engage the upper lip ofa container such as the barrel 15 when that type of container is to be dumped by an apparatus embodying the invention.

The slides 43 of the container carrier vertical arms 20 are movable by actuation of the cylinder 44 from a lowermost (ground level) position shown in solid lines in FIGS. 2 and 5 to an upper position (shown in dotted lines therein and indicated by the reference number 21a) in order to lift containers such as the barrel 15 upwardly to engage their upper edges with the container hook 52.

In utilizing the apparatus embodying the invention for the purpose of emptying containers such as the barrel 15, the operator places the barrel 15 onto the horizontal arms 21 of the container carrier 19 and, by actuating a suitable push button in a control box 56 (FIG. 2) causes the cylinder means 44 to telescope sufficiently to raise the barrel 15 upwardly, engaging its upper edge with the container hook 52. The operator then actuates the dumping operation which extends the first cylinder means 30 and the second cylinder means 37 to pivot the quadrant 26 relative to the support ears 24 and to pivot the container carrier 19 relative to the quadrant 26. By reason of the spacing of the pivotal connections of the first cylinder means 30 and second cylinder means 37 to the quadrant 26, extension of these two cylinder means through only a short travel and at the optimum portion of their arcuate movement with the quadrant 26, results in movement of 135 or more from the solid line position in FIG. 2 to the dotted line position in FIG. 2. This is more than an adequate degree of rotary movement in order to effectively dump any such container. Because of the intermediate quadrant 26, the two cylinder means 30 and 37 act at the optimum portion of the arcuate pivotal connections of those cylinders to the quadrant 26, and thus act with the best mechanical advantage, far superior to that present throughout the entire rotation of a direct crank connection movable through the same arcuate movement of approximately 135.

The horizontal arms 21 of the container support 19 are pivoted on the heavy pivot pin 47 (FIGS. 2 and 5) and the pivot pin 47 is supported in the lower ends of the slides 43 so that the horizontal arms 21 may be moved from their active position of FIGS. 2 and 5 to their tucked away position illustrated in FIG. 8. Downward movement of the horizontal arms 21 away from the vertical arms 20 of the container carrier 19 beyond 90 is prevented by a cross plate 57 welded at the rear of the two members making up the horizontal arms 21 and engageable with the back edges of the lower ends of the slides 43. The upper limit of movement of the slides 43 and the horizontal arms 21 is established by the engagement of two pivotally mounted struts 58 with stop pins 59 studded into side members 60 of the horizontal arms 21.

When it is desired to tuck away the container carrier 19 into its travelling position, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the telescoping cylinder means 44 is first actuated to retract and telescope the slides 43 as far as possible into the side members 35. This action elevates the horizontal arms 21 until the pins 59 engage with the lower ends of the struts 58. As the cylinder means 44 continues to telescope, the arms 21 are rotated toward the tuck" position. The first and second cylinder means 30 and 37 are then collapsed as far as possible to swing the quadrant 26 and, because the entire assembly is interconnected, the entire assembly is moved as far as possi ble toward the rear wall of the receiver 14 and into the position illustrated in FIG. 8. g

A shield 61 overlies and extends across behind the quadrant 26 and the cylinder means 30 and 37, being welded or otherwise secured to the side members 35 and the crossbar 45.

FIG. 7 illustrates how a dumping apparatus embodying the invention may be utilized for the dumping of a different type of standard trash container, in this case a trash cart generally indicated by the reference number 62. The trash cart 62 has an open top container 63 which is mounted by a pipe frame 64 having ground wheels 65, a handle 66, and front support arms 67 between which there extends a horizontal crossbar 68.

The side members 60 of the horizontal arms 21 extend forwardly overhanging the rear parts of the arms 21 and a hook 69 on each of the side members 60 engages the crossbar 68 when a cart 62 is moved into position and the telescoping cylinder 44 is retracted to lift the arms 21 upwardly. Engagement of the hook 69 with the crossbar 68' prevents the cart 62 from falling out of the container carrier 19 when it is turned over to its dumping position as illustrated in FIG. 7.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, as the load of refuse in the interior of the truck body 12 increases, the rear end of the truck gradually lowers and the distance to ground level is less. This decrease in distance and the opposite increase in the distance when the truck body 12 is emptied, are compensated for by the action of the telescoping cylinder means 44 which shortens or lengthens the vertical arms 20 of the container carrier 19 as needed.

What we claim is:

1. An apparatus for dumping containers and the like, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a container carrier, means for retaining said container on said carrier during dumping, a support for said apparatus, carrier pivot means for pivotally mounting the upper end of said container carrier on said support for angular movement rearwardly and upwardly from a lower container receiving position to a substantially inverted container dumping position, an intermediate rocking member pivotally mounted on said support independently of and at substantially the same level as said carrier pivot means, a first extensible power cylinder means pivotally connected at its lower end to said container carrier at a point spaced below said carrier pivot means and pivotally connected at its upper end to said rocking member at a point spaced radially away from the pivot therefor, a second extensible power cylinder means pivotally connected at its lower end to said support at a level lower than said carrier pivot means and pivotally connected at its upper end to said rocking member at a point spaced radially away from the pivot therefor and spaced angularly away from the pivot point for the first said cylinder means on said rocking member, the pivot point for the second said cylinder means on said rocking member, being located rearwardly of the pivot point for the first said cylinder means on said rocking member when said carrier is in its lower container receiving position, whereby extension of said first extensible cylinder means swings said container carrier relative to said rocking member and extension of said second extensible cylinder means swings said rocking member relative to said support.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the rocking member is a quadrant and the upper ends of the first and second extensible cylinder means are pivotally connected to said quadrant at circumferentially spaced points.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the rocking member is pivoted co-axially with the container carrier. I

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the container carrier has an L shaped body and the pivotal connection to the support is at the upper end of the vertical arm of said body.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 in which the vertical arm of the container carrier comprises two telescoping members and means for moving said telescoping members relative to each other for spacing the horizontal arm thereof relative to the pivot therefor.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the support is the side wall structure of an open top, walled receiving hopper of a refuse handling machine.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6 in which the refuse handling machine is the loading tailgate of a refuse truck.

8. An apparatus for dumping containers into a walled, open top receiver, such apparatus comprising, in combination, a substantially L shaped container carrier, a quadrant, means pivotally mounting said container carrier at the upper end of the vertical arm thereof and pivotally mounting said quadrant near the apex thereof co-axially with and rotatable relative to said container carrier on said receiver at approximately the top of the outer side of one of the walls of said receiver, first extensible cylinder means pivotally connected at its lower end to said container carrier at a point below the pivotal axis of said containercarrier and pivotally connected at its upper end to said quadrant at a point radially spaced from the pivotal axis of said quadrant and adjacent said receiver, second extensible cylinder means pivotally connected at its lower end to said receiver at a point below the pivotal axis of said container carrier and pivotally connected at its upper end to said quadrant at a point radially spaced from the pivotal axis of said quadrant and angularly spaced from the pivotal connection of said first cylinder means to said quadrant in a direction away from said receiver, when said L shaped container carrier is in its downward container receiving position, and container retaining means on said container carri- 9. An apparatus according to claim 8 in which the vertical arm of the container carrier comprises telescoping members and means for moving said telescoping members relative to each other.

10. An apparatus according to claim 8 in which the arms of the L shaped container carrier are pivotally connected whereby the horizontal arm may be swung to position adjacent the vertical arm.

11. An apparatus according to claim 8 in which the container retaining means includes a movable hook en- 

1. An apparatus for dumping containers and the like, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a container carrier, means for retaining said container on said carrier during dumping, a support for said apparatus, carrier pivot means for pivotally mounting the upper end of said container carrier on said support for angular movement rearwardly and upwardly from a lower container receiving position to a substantially inverted container dumping position, an intermediate rocking member pivotally mounted on said support independently of and at substantially the same level as said carrier pivot means, a first extensible power cylinder means pivotally connected at its lower end to said container carrier at a point spaced below said carrier pivot means and pivotally connected at its upper end to said rocking member at a point spaced radially away from the pivot therefor, a second extensible power cylinder means pivotally connected at its lower end to said support at a level lower than said carrier pivot means and pivotally connected at its upper end to said rocking member at a point spaced radially away from the pivot therefor and spaced angularly away from the pivot point for the first said cylinder means on said rocking member, the pivot point for the second said cylinder means on said rocking member being located rearwardly of the pivot point for the first said cylinder means on said rocking member when said carrier is in its lower container receiving position, whereby extension of said first extensible cylinder means swings said container carrier relative to said rocking member and extension of said second extensible cylinder means swings said rocking member relative to said support.
 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the rocking member is a quadrant and the upper ends of the first and second extensible cylinder means are pivotally connected to said quadrant at circumferentially spaced points.
 3. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the rocking member is pivoted co-axially with the container carrier.
 4. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the container carrier has an ''''L'''' shaped body and the pivotal connection to the support is at the upper end of the vertical arm of said body.
 5. An apparatus according to claim 4 in which the vertical arm of the container carrier comprises two telescoping members and means for moving said telescoping members relative to each other for spacing the horizontal arm thereof relative to the pivot therefor.
 6. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the support is the side wall structure of an open top, walled receiving hopper of a refuse handling machine.
 7. An apparatus according to claim 6 in which the refuse handling machine is the loading tailgate of a refuse truck.
 8. An apparatus for dumping containers into a walled, open top receiver, such apparatus comprising, in combination, a substantially ''''L'''' shaped container carrier, a quadrant, means pivotally mounting said container carrier at the upper end of the vertical arm thereof and pivotally mounting said quadrant near the apex thereof co-axially with and rotatable relative to said container carrier on said receiver at approximately the top of the outer side of one of the walls of said receiver, first extensible cylinder means pivotally connected at its lower end to said container carrier at a point below the pivotal axis of said container carrier and pivotally connected at its upper end to said quadrant at a point radially spaced from the pivotal axis of said quadrant and adjacent said receiver, second extensible cylinder means pivotally connected at its lower end to said receiver at a point below the pivotal axis of said container carrier and pivotally connected at its upper end to said quadrant at a point radially spaced from the pivotal axis of said quadrant and angularly spaced from the pivotal connection of said first cylinder means to said quadrant in a direction away from said receiver, when said ''''L'''' shaped container carrier is in its doWnward container receiving position, and container retaining means on said container carrier.
 9. An apparatus according to claim 8 in which the vertical arm of the container carrier comprises telescoping members and means for moving said telescoping members relative to each other.
 10. An apparatus according to claim 8 in which the arms of the ''''L'''' shaped container carrier are pivotally connected whereby the horizontal arm may be swung to position adjacent the vertical arm.
 11. An apparatus according to claim 8 in which the container retaining means includes a movable hook engageable with a part of the container. 